


Slow to React

by tw_leona



Category: Skate-Leading Stars (Anime)
Genre: Apathetic Character, Comedy, M/M, Slow Burn, i guess, it is not OOC, so Shinozaki might be a jerk at times
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-06
Updated: 2021-03-11
Packaged: 2021-03-11 23:48:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 1,174
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29875881
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tw_leona/pseuds/tw_leona
Summary: "Is this middle finger your way of confessing to me ?" Shinozaki tilted his head, both annoyed and confused.Maeshima dropped his skates. "What ?! Wait why the fuck would you come to that conclusion ?!"-The plot outline:In which Shinozaki thinks that Maeshima is in love with him after a few chapters of misunderstandings. Maeshima is not.
Relationships: Maeshima Kensei/Shinozaki Reo
Comments: 7
Kudos: 16





	1. Chapter 1

He had been standing there for ten minutes already. Shinozaki sighed to himself.

"Please move forward." Occasionally he would say to the man in front of him.

Honestly, Shinozaki wanted nothing to do with cafes or aesthetically pleasing restaurants. But Himuro had left the team with different duties, and it would seem like it was finally Shinozaki's turn to order lunch for Saturday practice. Perhaps he went to the wrong place, Shinozaki looked at the shop again, then back at the coupons Himuro had shoved into his hand. No, it was the right place.

No matter how much the white haired boy insisted that he wouldn't mind paying for lunch delivered, Himuro seemed oddly proud of his collection of coupons and kicked him out of the rink before he could start taking out his credit cards.

"Out of the way !"

A middle school student, with smudged eyeliner cut into the line in front of him, and Shinozaki felt his lifespan shorten. Should he shout ? Roundhouse kick the kid ? Or maybe he should call his lawyer. 

A hand grabbed his wrist, as Shinozaki felt himself pulled to a table right beside the line. Thrusting a menu into his hands, the offender turned and shouted.

"He's with me !"

The line groaned with unconcealed frustration. Shinozaki put down his menu to get a good look at his kidnapper.

"The katsudon here is pretty good, just saying."

Red hair and a bright smile flashed back at him cheerfully. Shinozaki stood up. "You pulled me away from the line." He said accusingly. "Now I have to queue up again."

Maeshima frowned, and opened his mouth to protest.

"Two katsudons and one curry bun. Enjoy your meal." A waitress came and placed down the food, Shinozaki started getting up.

"He'll order too," Maeshima said, pointing at Shinozaki.

The white haired boy swatted the finger away. Well, he might as well as take advantage of the scenario. "Two seaweed bentos, one cold soba, one rice burger and one...katsudon, takeaway."

Maeshima stared. "And I thought I had a huge appetite."

"It's for the team." Shinozaki replied frostily. Watching Maeshima pick up his chopsticks.

There were two bowls of katsudons. Did Maeshima intend to finish them all on his own ? That would be illogical if he is on an athlete's diet. However, Maeshima Kensei was not one to follow rules. There was a chance that Hayato, or Maeshima's coach or his upperclassmen had instructed him to eat healthy, and Maeshima escaped to a faraway cafe to eat unhealthy food just out of spite.

Shinozaki nodded internally. That would most likely be the cas-

A spoonful of rice was shoved. Into his mouth. Maeshima shoved a spoonful of rice, into Shinozaki's mouth.

"I told you it's good right ? You don't have to stare at it so long ! I have two bowls anyways !"

Shinozaki chewed on the food quietly, an unknown emotion boiling inside him as his eyebrows furrowed more and more.

_Rage._

With most pristine manners and grace, he pulled the spoon from his mouth and set it down. The silver glinting maliciously, but it was Shinozaki's blue eyes that gleamed like a nuclear fission spiralling out of control.

_"Maeshima Kensei, you will hear from my lawyer."_

* * *


	2. Chapter 2

Contrary to popular belief, Maeshima was capable of speaking to Shinozaki _normally_. He knew that because Maeshima wasn't all about 'I'LL BEAT YOU SHINOZAKIIII' back in elementary school, and was more 90% 'I'll beat you Shinozaki' and 10% 'I want you to see me as a rival so I'll follow you around like a kicked puppy'. So Shinozaki knew that Maeshima do have enough IQ to uphold conversations without making boasts that he could not fulfil, and the reason he chose to be so annoying was just that - well, he wanted to be annoying. And that ticked Shinozaki off sometimes.

"I'm going to beat you-"

Shinozaki nearly stormed out of the elevator, but the doors closed right before he could escape. He paused for a second, before facing reality. The loud annoying mess that kept making obnoxious declarations was shouting behind him.

"Is he not capable of any other speech ? " Shinozaki muttered darkly to himself. He really did regress, he thought.

At this point Maeshima would start pulling Shinozaki by his tie and attempt to use violence to back up his claims, Shinozaki edged away warily, Maeshima blinked.

Maeshima raised a hand, and Shinozaki edged away even more, irritated. There were a few seconds of silence between them and Maeshima seemed to realise something.

"Shit am I being a horrible person ?"

"..."

Maeshima laughed awkwardly.

Shinozaki raised an eyebrow.

"So, um, did you like the katsudon ?" 

The elevator doors opened and the two teens stared at it for another few seconds.

Shinozaki walked out first. "It was horrible." He replied, just for the sake of it.

Maeshima huffed. 

* * *


	3. Chapter 3

Beautiful is not something Shinozaki would call himself. That is why he always strived for higher, greater heights. He would step on family and friend alike for the best performance he yearns so much for. 

"Uwaaah! " A reporter, one of Kuonji's fawning.

Himuro and his stupid pride. Ionodai and various other schools were allowed to watch their practice. That doesn't mean Shinozaki has to like it though. 

The rain was falling outside the rink. The rhythmic tapping of the raindrops was...nice.

He looked up and saw Maeshima Kensei. Maeshima was not looking at him, bickering with Kuonji.

Look at me.

Shinozaki thought, impulsively. 'Who are you to turn around, when I am so much better than you, can you afford to look away ! "

He spun around and his arms waved and he jumped, higher and higher and skated faster and faster and faster-

The eyes that aren't on him, a shame. It could be fixed, but it was a outrage to have happened in the first place.

He gave the sword in his hand a wave, and only paused when the rink was overwhelmed by an eerie silence.

"His skating is _scary_ good..." One of the Ionodai skaters, Himuro's neighbours sweatdropped.

"It's beautiful." Maeshima said.

Kuonji stifled a small laugh.

Shinozaki's grip tightened just a bit on his sword.

* * *

"It's beautiful." Maeshima said, smiling at the image of the cartoon penguin, animated by Sasugai, the one and only. "This is now my profile picture and no one is allowed to laugh."

He heard Kuonji's sad attempt to disguise his laughter.

* * *

"This is our ritual you know, " Maeshima waved his hand, "You could at least reply to me. I know you get fired up too."

Shinozaki's eyes narrowed, and simply walked away.

_"I'm gonna beat you gonna beat you gonna-"_

A purple haired skater sighed. "Now you're just being annoying. Who knows, maybe my team will win."

Maeshima stared. "I appreciate the offer to be my new favourite rival, Himekawa. But Shinozaki..."

Shinozaki had heard enough.

He appreciate the offer huh, but he still chose to challenge Shinozaki, to view Shinozaki as the ultimate challenge, and not change his mind even though there are other skaters...

Interesting. How stubborn.

**Author's Note:**

> Updates every 2 days lol.


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